Webquests and Ministry Licensed Software
The Perfect Internet Integration Tools

Doug Peterson
Computers in the Classroom Consultant
Greater Essex County District School Board

“A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented activity in which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. WebQuests are designed to use learners' time well, to focus on using information rather than looking for it, and to support learners' thinking at the levels of analysis, synthesis and evaluation. The model was developed in early 1995 at San Diego State University by Bernie Dodge with Tom March, and was outlined then in “Some Thoughts About Webquests”.”

Students and teachers use the Internet in their classroom daily. But, to what end? If the lesson was intended to “find some information”, could it not be more efficiently and effectively done using your school’s encyclopaedia? How much time is actually spent “finding” information using this approach as opposed to “using”information?

Enter the concept of the WebQuest. There are a number of reasons for using this technique with your students, but the most important benefit is derived by having students effectively use the information to produce quality work at a higher level. By design, WebQuests guide students through worthwhile classroom activities that inspire creativity, develop computer use skills, and force the student to synthesize and analyze information in a solo or collaborative environment. If you are an Internet using educator, you need to explore the benefits of using this technique to help your students address curriculum expectation. More information is available on “The WebQuest Page”at http://webquest.sdsu.edu/.

Ministry licensed software can play an important role in the successful use of WebQuests in your classrooms. Every well-designed WebQuest generates a student product at the end of the activity. Since you are already using the computer to access the Internet, it is natural that many of the end products are computer generated.

Here are some ways that Ministry licensed software fits the bill.

Some Webquests specifically address the use of a piece of Ministry licensed software. For example,

Choices into Action WebQuest

http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/cia/choices.htm
Use Career Cruising CD-ROM

Math is a Gas WebQuest

http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/sub/schools/elem/pps/blencowe/math_is_a_gas!.htm
Use Appleworks Spreadsheet

Great Ontario WebQuests:

A great deal of effort has gone into developing WebQuests that address expectations from the Ontario Curriculum. You might find some of these very helpful.

Aspects of Government in Canada

http://www.dryden.net/%7Ednault/quests/grade5a.html

Canada and its Trading Partners

http://www.occdsb.on.ca/~tec/webquesteng.htm

Voyage au Quebec

http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/sub/schools/elem/oakwood/picard/

What's up with the Weather?

http://elem.wrdsb.edu.on.ca/~hrobertson/weather/start%20here.html

The authors wrote the above WebQuests with very specific curriculum intentions in mind. The ultimate act of generosity is to post to the web so that everyone could potentially use them in classrooms all over the province.

How do you find WebQuests?

Many classrooms are buying into the concept and very specific WebQuests to address particular curriculum needs pop up all over the place. There is an online resource, a “WebQuest Locator”online at: http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/DP that may help zero in on a particular WebQuest for a division or subject.

Write Your OWN!

The ultimate activity would be to write your own WebQuest for your classroom and others to enjoy. Ministry Licensed software has got you covered there as well! Use Claris Homepage as your web page editor. No web page would be complete without appropriate graphic. Adobe Photoshop Elements is a spectacular image-editing tool.

WebQuests and Ministry License Software are the perfect combination to put the power of the web to work in your classroom as your students strive for more effective use of the Internet.